Indy 500 Qualifying: Surprises, Drama, and Even a Bit of Scandal

S2 E45 Road America: Lundgaard Triumph. Armstrong Heartbreak. Caution Confusion.

Road America had it all. Daring overtakes, unusual mistakes, and rules interpretations that left us shaking our heads. But in the end it was yet another heartbreak for Marcus Armstrong who was cruising to victory, when his Honda engine let go, clearing the way for Christian Lundgaard to seal his second victory of the season by pulling away from second place finisher, David Malukas. It was a great day at America's National Park of Speed with the exception of a couple of full course cautions and pit closures that had us wondering if they had changed the rules again. We dig into it all in this episode of Rides & Drives Team Radio.

5 In A Row For Palou: Can He Convert A Pole To Victory?

It was a picture perfect day at America's National Park of Speed especially for Alex Palou and CGR. But Penske and Dave Malukas are nipping at his heels, which all sets up for a great race tomorrow. There are a lot of questions around tire strategy and weather could play a factor in tomorrow's Xpel Grand Prix. We'll be there to bring you all the action. As a special bonus, we teach you how to make a classic Wisconsin Brandy Old Fashioned.

Why Road America Is Our Favorite Venue of the IndyCar Season

It's been called "America's National Park of Speed" and in this episode we'll not only tell you why Road America deserves this nickname, but how it got it. We also talk about the town of Elkhart Lake and why you absolutely have to put this week on your calendar next year. Plus, there's a great race ahead. We cover some fun fact, like who's led the most laps here since IndyCar returned in 2016 and why we think Alex Palou, while the favorite, isn't a lock to win this race.

Ladies & Gentlemen, We Have An IndyCar Championship Fight On Our Hands.

While Alex Palou still looked fast, cracks in the Ganassi machine in the way they executed their race strategy, along with strong showings by Josef Newgarden, Marcus Ericsson, and the other Penske and Andretti drivers bode well for a fight to the finish for this year's IndyCar championship. The race in St. Louis was everything you expect from a short oval, lots of passing, close action, and more than a bit of sketch from the hard charging Christian Rasmussen who finished third. We have a couple of weeks off and then it's on to Wisconsin for the Expel Grand Prix of Road America. We'll be there to bring you all the action and interviews, first hand.

Can Anyone Challenge Alex Palou For The IndyCar Title?

Alex Palou completed qualifying today more than a mile an hour faster than the second place car of David Malukas. Does this mean he's a lock to win his fifth title? Qualifying isn't racing, but if he manages to take the win from the pole, it could signal the beginning of the end of the championship for 2026. The Penske cars looked strong with Scott McLaughlin just .375 mph slower than his teammate, Malukas, and Josef Newgarden another .4 behind that. We also saw strong performances from Indy 500 winner, Felix Rosenqvist, and his teammate Marcus Armstrong. And of course, Kyle Kirkwood and Scott Dixon are in a strong position to mount a challenge. If anyone can beat Alex to the checkered flag, then it's game on. If not, it's going to be deja vu all over again.